FAQ

FAQ

  • What materials do you use?

    Nothing gets thrown away! Consumer packing, shipping materials, cardboard, plastic bags and paper scraps are all a part of my current project. Older paintings on paper get repurposed into newer works. The materials have a history that literally and figuratively develop a foundational substrate for the works. I tend to use Golden and Holbein acrylic paint as well.

  • How do you decide upon a shape for the painting?

    The shapes evolve as I manipulate the materials. Pieces of plastic bags are adhered to flexible wire sheets that are a little finer than chicken wire and purchased from a garden supply store. Cardboard scraps are torn and worked while I’m sealing and coating the surfaces. Compositional elements, rhythm and lines are discovered in the process, dictating the outer edges of the final shape. This part of my process is dynamic and responsive. There is a dialog between my vision for the work and the unfolding of the materials themselves.

  • When do you decide upon a color palette for the work?

    My palette evolves while working. It’s not settled beforehand. I consider previous paintings, trying not to repeat myself and looking for difference and variation as I go.

  • Do you ever cut into or reshape the work later in the process?

    Yes, often after months go by, I’ll be inspired to make a change.

  • How does the work hang on the wall?

    The wire and plastic works hang directly on a nail. The cardboard on wood pieces get hanging wire. Collectors often frame the unmounted cardboard pieces, but they also look good directly on the wall. You can use a simple French cleat or even a velcro strip. That’s how I display them at home.

  • What role does music play in your process?

    I grew on Noise Punk and Hardcore music. I consider these sounds when choosing colors and making shapes and marks. For example, a rough primal scream or the rhythmic section of a song can inspire rough marks and material choices.

  • What is your favorite song? Favorite band?

    Turned Inside Out by Rollins Band, and Black Flag while Rollins was singing

  • What is a song have you referenced & which work did it influence?

    Something I Learned Today was a Husker Du song.

  • When and how do you choose a title?

    The day I finished the work often connects to the title either through in inclusion of a date or reference to a holiday. I also use song titles a lot.

  • What is automatic drawing?

    Automatic drawing started way before the Surrealists and comes out of Spiritual Mediums and Non-Western cultures. My interest started with an appreciation of Arshile Gorky and Abstract Expressionism and grew from there through studying its history. The basic process involves a marking tool and a substrate. You essentially allow your hand to subconsciously wander with the tool marking the surface of the substrate. Then afterwards, your conscious mind sees the results of the subconscious action. Jazz Improvisation is probably close to this approach.

  • Who are your favorite artists and art movements?

    Picasso, Degas, Jack Kirby, Edvard Munch, Rauschenberg, Pollock and DeKooning. I could go on forever.

    Arte Povera, Abstract Expressionism, Spatialism, Conceptual Art. Same with artists, so many favorites

  • How do the images and figures come to be in the work?

    Sometimes the interactions and intersections of lines, masses and textures will suggest a human form.

  • Do you ever create 3D works?

    I have made work in the round, however space is an issue. It’s an area I would love to pursue further. The challenge is about finding the right context and situation as the 3D works I’ve made are delicate.

  • How did your time at PAFA inform your work?

    I had so many great teachers, but the best thing I learned was the fundamentals. Once you have that, you can make whatever you want.

  • Do you have a studio or work from home?

    I work in the basement and wherever there’s enough space. Sometimes outside.

  • Do you ever teach classes? If so, where?

    I have taught Painting and Drawing at Perkins Center for the Arts and Fleisher Art Memorial.

  • Where do you show your work?

    Regional Art Centers for the experimental things I do. Arts Plus Gallery in Collingswood NJ is a commercial space that has my works on paper.

How can I purchase one of your works?

Email me: nrutkowski1@verizon.net
or send me a DM on social media: